Scottish Executive

Drug Misuse

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £21 million given for young people and families to the Scottish Drugs Forum has been utilised.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive’s extra investment of £21 million over the next three years will target areas of work with young people at risk of misusing drugs and forms part of the £100 million Spending Review package in support of our anti-drugs strategy. £3 million will be deployed on taking forward our agenda on drug education in schools. £18 million will be administered through the Changing Children’s Services Fund on new preventive and treatment services for young people. The allocations to local authorities take account of deprivation and other factors affecting children and young people. All proposals for service development must have the support of the local Drug Action Team and involve multi-agency approaches to programmes or projects delivered.

Economy

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics are available on the rate of inflation within the Scottish economy and for which years.

Angus MacKay: Macro-economic policy and financial instruments are reserved to Westminster, and applied at the UK level. Indicators of inflation are also produced at the UK level, and no such measure is currently produced for Scotland.

Economy

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics are available on the level of investment within the Scottish economy and for which years.

Angus MacKay: Gross Fixed Capital Formation data for Scotland were published for 1988 to 1995 by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 1998, on a European System of Accounts 1979 basis, in Economic Trends No 530. ONS are currently working on estimates on a European System of Accounts 1995 basis for 1997 to 1999. These will be published as soon as possible after the necessary source data become available.

  Net capital expenditure data are available from the Scottish Executive for the following industrial sectors and years:

  


Manufacturing 
  

1970-98 
  



Other production sectors 
  

1997-98 
  



Construction 
  

1995-98 
  



Services (excluding financial and public sectors) 
  

1997-98 
  



  These are taken from the Annual Business Inquiry. 1999 data should be available in autumn 2001. Manufacturing and services data are published in Scottish Economic Statistics and are available on the Scottish Executive website.

Food Safety

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all pig meat sold in Scotland is clean and free from disease and infection.

Malcolm Chisholm: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that pig meat sold in Scotland will have been produced in accordance with the stringent provisions laid down in EU and domestic legislation intended to safeguard human health. These provisions demand veterinary inspection before slaughter to ensure animals are free of disease, as well as subsequent checks on careful handling and inspection of the carcase before it leaves the abattoir. There is, however, a risk at any point in the food chain that meat may become contaminated with harmful organisms. It is very important that there is good hygiene at all stages from the abattoir to the table and proper cooking of meat.

Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11479 by Henry McLeish on 23 November 2000, what additional information it can give about the plans for celebrating the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s Accession to the Throne.

Henry McLeish: Her Majesty The Queen has now approved further details of the programme of celebrations during 2002, the focal point of which will be the Jubilee weekend period covering 1 to 4 June. As I announced on 23 November 2000, Monday 3 June will be an additional Bank Holiday for the Golden Jubilee and Tuesday 4 June will be a Bank Holiday, in place of the Spring Bank Holiday that would otherwise fall on 27 May 2002.

  This significant national anniversary of 50 years of The Queen’s reign will offer people of all ages and cultures and from all walks of life the opportunity for celebration, and the events surrounding the Jubilee will provide numerous opportunities for voluntary and community service. It should be a time for looking forward as well as back – including at the great changes that have taken place in the nation’s life during Her Majesty’s reign.

  The main features of the programme approved so far by Her Majesty have been announced by the Prime Minister today. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh plan to travel as widely as possible around the United Kingdom during the year 2002, including visits to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These tours around the UK will be focussed on the summer months. The Queen will visit each region, but it will not be possible to visit all cities and counties.

  Details of The Queen’s visit to Scotland from 23 to 29 May 2002 will be announced later. I have previously announced that Her Majesty will attend the opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh on 25 May 2002.

  To help local communities mark and celebrate the Jubilee, Lottery funding will be available from the Arts Councils, the Sports Councils, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund. Voluntary organisations and local groups in the community will be able to apply through the cross-distributor Awards for All for grants of between £500 and £5,000 for Jubilee-related projects. Projects must meet existing criteria and involve one or more of the Lottery good causes of the arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education or the environment. I hope people in Scotland will take advantage of this opportunity to use Lottery money as a means both of celebrating the Jubilee and providing a lasting legacy for their communities.

  The official Golden Jubilee website is being launched today at:

  http://www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk/.

  It will include details of celebrations and events taking place throughout the United Kingdom during 2002, including The Queen’s programme of visits. It will also provide members of the public with a central point for enquiries, suggestions and comments on any aspect of the celebrations. By the autumn of this year, it will incorporate, or give access to, other sites containing information about the plans for the Jubilee.

  The Queen has accepted a recommendation for the design for a Golden Jubilee Emblem which members of the public, commercial and public services and manufacturers may use, at no cost, to "brand" events, services, souvenirs and other items connected with the Jubilee. The emblem, together with guidance on its use, can be obtained from the Golden Jubilee website.

  The Queen has made clear that she wishes there to be no undue expenditure from public funds on the celebrations. She has asked that those organisations or individuals wishing to celebrate the Golden Jubilee with some form of donation be encouraged to give either to one or to more of the following five charities of which Her Majesty is Patron: Barnardo’s, CRUSE bereavement services, I CAN (national education charity for children with speech and language difficulties), the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, and the Soldiers, Sailors and Air Force Association (SSAFA) – or to the British Commonwealth Ex-Services League, of which The Duke of Edinburgh is Grand President. Further details will be available on the Golden Jubilee website.

NHS Waiting Times

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for accident and emergency patients to be admitted to an in-patient bed at Ayr Hospital.

Susan Deacon: Information provided by Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust indicates that, in the year 2000, the average time from triage to admission to ward at Ayr Hospital, including all treatment provided in the accident and emergency department, was 2.5 hours.

Planning

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to call in the planning application for a proposed waste energy plant at Dargavel, Dumfriesshire.

Lewis Macdonald: No. Planning permission for this development was granted by Dumfries and Galloway Council on 31 May 2001. There were no planning reasons for the Scottish Ministers to intervene in the processing of this application by the council.

Recycling

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what voluntary or statutory targets it has set since 1997 on the use of recycled paper by its core and associated departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies, whether these targets were achieved and what future targets have been set.

Angus MacKay: In 1998 the Scottish Office adopted a target that all of non-specialist paper should contain 75% post-consumer waste by 1 August 1999. Operational problems with some office machinery meant that this target was not met. In 2000-01, 77% of non-specialist paper used by the Scottish Executive was from recycled sources. Future targets on the use of recycled paper are currently being reviewed.

  The Scottish Executive expects all associated departments, Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to adopt a Greening Government Policy.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8217 by Sarah Boyack on 6 July 2000, where in Parts 3 and 4 of the National Audit Office report on the Skye Bridge is the percentage of the £23.64 million used to fund the Skye Bridge which was public money identified.

Sarah Boyack: As the National Audit Report makes clear, the figure of £23.64 million was calculated in 1991 as the maximum toll revenue which Skye Bridge Limited may collect in order to recover their costs of constructing and operating the bridge, after taking account of taxes to be paid by Skye Bridge Limited and the department’s forecast contribution to the cost of the approach roads. It follows that the percentage requested is zero.

Statistics

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the categories of official statistics gathered in Scotland since July 1999 in those areas under its responsibility, outlining in each case the organisation responsible for gathering and reporting the statistics.

Angus MacKay: The following is a list of organisations responsible for collecting information in those areas under the responsibility of the Scottish Executive. Official Statistics are taken to include National Statistics and those collected by or for the Government Statistical Service in the Scottish Executive. National Statistics Themes are the main categorisation of statistics used by the Scottish Executive.

  


National Statistics Theme 
  

Organisations Gathering and Reporting on 
  Data 
  



Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 
  

SE Rural Affairs Department 
  



 


Forestry Commission 
  



Commerce, Energy and Industry 
  

SE Executive Secretariat 
  



 


SE Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department 
  



 


Office for National Statistics 
  



 


Scottish Enterprise 
  



 


Highland and Islands Enterprise 
  



 


Inland Revenue 
  



Crime and Justice 
  

SE Justice Department 
  



The Economy 
  

SE Executive Secretariat 
  


 

Department of Social Security 
  


 

Office for National Statistics 
  


 

Scottish Enterprise 
  


 

Highlands and Islands Enterprise 
  


 

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions 
  



Education and Training 
  

SE Education Department 
  


 

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education 
  


 

Scottish Qualifications Authority 
  


 

SFEFC 
  


 

HESA 
  


 

SHEFC 
  


 

UCAS 
  


 

Office for National Statistics 
  


 

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration 
  



Health and Care 
  

SE Health Department 
  



 


Common Services Agency for NHSScotland 
  


 

General Register Office for Scotland 
  


 

Office for National Statistics 
  


 

National Centre for Social Research and Department of Epidemiology 
  and Public Health, University College London 
  


 

Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, University of 
  Edinburgh Medical School 
  


 

Dental Health Services Research Unit, University of Dundee 
  


 

Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health 
  



Labour Market 
  

SE Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department 
  


 

Office for National Statistics 
  


 

Department of Social Security 
  


 

Scottish Enterprise 
  


 

Highlands and Islands Enterprise 
  


 

Employment Service 
  


 

Department of Trade and Industry 
  


 

Convention of Scottish Local Authorities 
  



Natural Built Environment 
  
 



Natural Environment 
  

SE Development Department 
  


 

Scottish Environment Protection Agency 
  


 

Scottish Natural Heritage 
  


 

NETCEN 
  



Built Environment 
  

SE Development Department 
  


 

Scottish Homes 
  


 

Council of Mortgage Lenders 
  



Population and Migration 
  

General Register Office for Scotland 
  



Social and Welfare 
  

SE Development Department 
  


 

Office for National Statistics 
  


 

Department of Social Security 
  



Transport, Travel and Tourism 
  

SE Development Department 
  


 

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions 
  


 

VisitScotland 
  


 

System Three 
  


 

MORI 
  


 

Office for National Statistics 
  



Personnel Statistics 
  

SE Personnel

Statistics

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what relationship it has with the Office for National Statistics in terms of the gathering, sharing and use of statistical information.

Angus MacKay: The Memorandum of Understanding and Statistics Concordat set out the principles that underlie the working relationships between the UK Government and the devolved administrations.

Statistics

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) list any surveys, polling exercises or data collection exercises which are currently being conducted by any departments, agencies or bodies under its control, (b) detail any organisations employed to conduct such exercises and (c) detail the regulations governing the tendering process for statistical work and contracts.

Angus MacKay: In answer to parts (a) and (b), the Scottish Executive conducted 113 in the year up to April 2001. In addition, the Central Research Unit of the Scottish Executive is conducting the following projects – as of 8 June 2001.

  


Project Title 
  

Organisation 
  



Communities that Care 
  

University of Glasgow 
  



Research on Racist Crime 
  

University of Dundee 
  



Drugs and Leisure Diversion Programme for Young People 
  

System Three: Social Research Unit 
  



Evaluation of the Zero Tolerance "Respect" Pilot 
  

Reid-Howie Associates 
  



Use of Police Powers of Stop and Search 
  

Reid-Howie Associates 
  



Evaluation of Pilot Victim Liaison Service 
  

Lambda Research and Consultancy 
  



Community Legal Services Microcosm Study 
  

Market Research UK 
  



The Evaluation of the Public Defender Solicitors’ Office 
  

Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London 
  



Scottish Household Survey 
  

NFO System Three and MORI Scotland 
  



Consultation on the Plan for Action on Alcohol Misuse: 
  Views of younger people 
  

Save the Children 
  



Consultation on the Plan for Action on Alcohol Misuse: 
  Views of alcohol service users/non-users and their friends/families 
  

NFO System Three 
  



Home Care Survey 
  

UK Home Care Association 
  



Review of Old Mineral Permissions 
  

David Kirk Associates 
  



Review of NPPG4 
  

Land Use Consultants 
  



Final Evaluation of the former Regional Partnerships 
  

Cambridge Economic Associates 
  



Scottish School Leavers Survey 
  

National Centre for Social Research 
  



  With regard to the final part of your question, details of the system of selective competitive tendering which the Scottish Executive Central Research Unit operates are available on the CRU web pages (www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/) under the Guidance for Contractors section or within any of the published research programmes which are available on the CRU web pages.

Vaccines

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government requesting that the use of Thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines be reviewed in the light of any possible adverse health effects of such use.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which vaccines used in Scotland over the last 10 years contained the preservative Thimerosal.

Susan Deacon: The regulation and control of medicines is a reserved matter. Information on which vaccines used in Scotland over the last 10 years contained the preservative Thimerosal is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive.